Ukraine rules out bilateral talks with Russia over crisis

KIEV, May 21 (Xinhua) -- Kiev on Wednesday ruled out the possibility to hold bilateral talks with Russia over crisis in eastern Ukraine.P "In today's environment, I believe that bilateral negotiations between Ukraine and Russia are not on the agenda," Ukrainian Prime Minister Arseny Yatsenyuk said during a third session of roundtable unity talks in southern city of Nikolaev.

Yatsenyuk said his country is in favor of holding a second round of diplomatic four-party meeting in Geneva with participation of Ukraine, the European Union (EU), the United States and Russia in a bid to find peaceful solution to violence in the east.

On April 17, the top diplomats from the four states reached a deal in Geneva calling for all sides of the conflict to refrain from violence.

The accord failed as Russia accused Ukraine of launching offensive against its citizens, who demand independence from Kiev, while Ukraine insists that Moscow is fomenting unrest in cities, which are being held by separatist militia.